The New York Mets are heading into the heart of the offseason with more questions than answers-and fans are starting to feel it. With division rivals like the Braves and Phillies already making waves, the Mets have been relatively quiet. And the silence is getting louder after two major departures: Edwin Díaz and, more notably, Pete Alonso.
Alonso, the face of the Mets' offense for the better part of the last half-decade, is finalizing a five-year, $155 million deal with the Baltimore Orioles. That’s a big bat leaving Queens.
And it's not like he faded in 2025-far from it. Alonso bounced back in a big way, slashing .272/.347/.524 with 38 homers and 126 RBIs.
He was a force in the middle of the lineup, especially hitting behind Juan Soto, who commanded plenty of attention on his own.
What’s striking here is that the Mets didn’t even make an offer. Not a lowball, not a last-minute pitch-nothing.
That’s a tough pill to swallow for fans who watched Alonso grow into one of the most feared power hitters in the game. He wanted a long-term deal.
He earned it. And now he’ll be mashing in Camden Yards.
But Mets President of Baseball Operations David Stearns is preaching patience. In his words, the team is trying to strike a balance between honoring the past and building a sustainable future.
“I also understand that our fans naturally have an attachment, as we do as well have an attachment, to players who have been here and have performed here for a long time,” Stearns said. “We also have to be very cognizant of making the decisions that are going to allow us to compete now and also fit in with the future years when we want to consistently be a World Series-caliber team and World Series-caliber organization.”
That’s a fair sentiment-and one that speaks to the long-term vision. But in the short term, the Mets have work to do.
The bullpen, in particular, was heavily used in 2025, finishing with the second-most innings pitched in all of baseball. That’s not a sustainable model unless reinforcements arrive.
One name that’s surfaced as a potential fit: Sean Newcomb. The former Braves starter has reinvented himself as a left-handed reliever, and he’s coming off a strong season.
Among lefty relievers who threw 70 or more innings last year, Newcomb ranked second in ERA with a 2.19. That kind of reliability is exactly what this bullpen needs-especially after a year where they were asked to carry far too much of the load.
Newcomb’s not the kind of signing that lights up the back pages, but he’s the type of under-the-radar move that can pay real dividends. He’s shown he can handle volume, he’s effective against both sides of the plate, and he brings postseason experience from his days in Atlanta.
If the Mets want to keep pace in a division that’s only getting tougher, they’ll need to start making moves that shore up the roster now-without sacrificing the future. Newcomb could be a smart step in that direction.
But the clock is ticking. The offseason window won’t stay open forever, and fans are already restless.
The Mets don’t need to win the winter. But they do need to show they’re building toward something.
Right now, the silence is doing them no favors.